ESXi 5.5, 5 VMFS datastore / vmdk size question

Similar Questions

• VMFS 5 / VMDK sizes

  I'm curious to know why, if I can get a data store > 2 TB, I can't have a VMDK > 2 TB?  I have not found an answer to this question yet, just that I'm still limited to 2 TB on VMDK files.

  Thank you

  I don't think that VMware is able to tell you the reason for it. ESXi can manage some pass-trough RDM with up to 64 TB, to address issues already works. IMO this restriction exist, due to the current structure of the metadata in the files of disk virtual thin provisioned (snapshots are scattered provided). To be able to size greater than 2 TB of the pointers in the grain, the data type of mailing lists telephone / tables may need to be changed, but the compatibility to existing snapshots must be maintained.

  André

• Cannot add VMFS datastore to ESXi host

  Hi all

  I have a problem with the CF 1 logical unit number which can be seen as a device through several paths on all 10 hosts in a cluster, but it appear as a data store VMFS on 6 of the hosts. Other LUNS of the same Bay appear correctly on all hosts. 10 guests see the LUN with the same LUN ID and all hosts are identical regarding the version of ESXi (5.0 Update 2), HBA and firmware models.

  On the 4 hosts who can see the device but not the VMFS data store, it seems that he sees the LUN as a snapshot: 'list of snapshot storage vmfs esxcli' translates into:

  4f5e5cbb-a87cd2c6-86e9-d8d385f98034
  Volume name: LUN101_SAS2
  VMFS UUID: 4f5e5cbb-a87cd2c6-86e9-d8d385f98034
  Can mount: true
  Reason of mountability-United Nations:
  Can will: false
  Reason for non-resignaturability: the volume is actively used
  County of measure pending: 1

  The UUID VMFS above matches the UUID VMFS seen on 6 guests who can see the VMFS data store.

  When I try to use 'Add storage', the device appears with a lambel VMFS: LUN101_SAS2(head). I don't know why (head) was added to the label of VMFS. Oscreen n the following signature to keep 'existing' and "Assign a new signature" options are grayed out. The only option is "Disc Format. I need to keep the existing signature because it run virtual machines that have their files .vmx and hard on this LUN.

  Would the fact that I have virtual machines running on this LUN, I cannot choose the option to "keep the existing signature?

  I need to Storage vMotion these virtual machines to a different LUN before I add the VMFS datastore to 4 guests?

  TIA

  Hey RoscoT;

  Try the following command

  #esxcfg - volume - l

  This should show the volume

  To constantly increase the volume, use esxcfg-volume - M followed of the UUID or volume name

  Concerning

  one

• Failed to create full-size VMFS Datastore on large virtual disk on Dell R710 5 2 t + 1, Raid 5 PERC6i controller

  ESXi4, I installed it on my Dell R710. She has 6 1 TB on PERC6i SAS drives, 5 discs do Raid 5 with hot spare disk 1. And I created 3 VD, 1 is from 40 GB to install the OS, 2 is 1 TB to contain the model ISO and VM and 3 is 2.6 TB to contain the VM.

  After installing ESXi4, I found only 2 created Datastore: 2. 39 GB 1 Datastore and 1 TB data store no data store has been created on the VD 2.6 TB.

  I tried to create it manually, but I found that only 635 GB in size can be created on this 2.6 t. Why? As I remembered ESXi4 can support up to 64 TB VMFS Datastore.

  The BIOS is 1.0.4.

  Someone had the idea?

  Take a look at this "vSphere and 2 TB LUN has changed VI3.x.

  http://virtualgeek.typepad.com/virtual_geek/2009/06/vSphere-and-2TB-LUNs-changes-from-vi3x.html

  Oh, a data store to 64 would consist of 32 degrees to ~ 2 TB. The limit on the size of the LUN behind the data store is 512 b less than 2 TB

• 1.8 to VMFS watch block size of 1 MB - WTF?

  We have a box 4.0 on which we have created multiple VMFS, each about 1.8 TB volumes.

  All three volumes appear and we have been using them, but today we came to increase the size of a VMDK and found that he maxed out at 256 GB.

  By looking at the properties of VMFS volume, all three show that 1.8 to, or one of them (one is this VMDK) shows a block size of 1 MB.

  By definition, if I understand correctly, you cannot have a 1.8 to VMFS with block size of 1 MB, so what is the best way to combat this?

  The server is a stand-alone, so it is not shared storage, nor is the server connected to a vCenter server.

  Thanks in advance.

  Block size does not affect the size of VMFS, it only affects the maximum size of the single VMDK file. So, it is perfectly valid to have datastore VMFS 1.8 to with 1 MB block.

  You must evacuate all virtual machines that store of data and reformat the drive with the largest block, I'm sorry, but it's your only option.

  Tomi

  http://v-reality.info

• NFS VMDK size limitation?

  What is the limitation of the size of a single VMDK carved into a NAS data store? I realize that the default out of the box VMFS data store is created with 1 MB blocks so a limit of 256 GB. But what about a NFS datastore? The default seems to be 256 GB, but I wonder if there is no setting on the side of NFS as there are on the side VMFS with changing the block size.

  I was digging around and I can't find anything. I see the size limit of 16 TB, but no sizes vmdk documented data store.

  VMDK size is limited to 2 TB less where it is.

  Check @ http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35/esx_3/r35/vi3_35_25_config_max.pdf

  -Surya

• VMFS and VMDK compatibility

  Hello

  I have a number of ESX 3.0.2 - Update1 host I do fresh installs of ESXi 4.1 on. The 3.0.2 hosts are connected to the external storage where is stored the VM and data warehouses. ESXi 4.1 is compatible with the version in the format/VMFS and VMDK/version of the format of the existing data? Guests of ESXi 4.1 will be able to set up warehouses of data and power ok the virtual machine?

  George.

  There are two things to look at. The first is the version of the VMFS file system, which is - as you say - 3.21 VMFS, so it's ok. The second is version of virtual equipment of the virtual machine, which must be at least 4. (see http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003746) With ESX 3.02, this should be the case.

  André

• Cannot extend VMFS datastore

  Mary!

  I have a virtual machine with two partitions. Partition for the system (IDE) and (SCSI) partition for data. The partition of SCSI has there own underlying the LUN on a storage. LUN capacity was 50 GB where the VMFS data store uses almost the full ability of LUN (49, 75GB). So I developed the LUN on the storage of 60 GB and now I want to extend the data on this LUN VMFS store and add a few more GB. But although I can see the raw capacity (60 GB) of the LUN in storage/properties for this VMFS datastore I can't expad the datastore to VMFS himself. When I click on expand I get no device/LUN to use.

  Any suggestions?

  And my main goal is to expand the data store VMFS.

  It's exactly what I got. When you log on to an ESXi host (using the vSphere Client and the root user), you will have the same storage Wizard dialog box as in the screen shot you posted before. After logging in, go to 'Configuration'-> 'Storage', select the datatstore VMFS, you want to develop and run the wizard.

  André

• ESX to ESXi 4.1 4.0 updating level and question VMFS

  I am in the process of upgrading to ESX 4.0 to ESXi 4.1 (rebuild).  I have vCenter 4.1 set level and the first host ESXi 4.1 rebuilt added to the datacenter.  I'm trying to find documentation indicating that ESXi 4.1 and ESX 4.0 host can share the 3.33 VMFS datastore that existing sites on the SAN.  I found the user who publishes say VMFS 3.x will work on all ESX versions, but before exposing the LUN to the new 4.1 server, I just wanted to be sure.

  Thank you.

  You'll be comfortable sharing data warehouses.   ESX(I) 4.x may also share data with ESX(I) 3.5 hosts a store and be in a cluster with the hosts.

  Dave

  VMware communities user moderator

  Now available - vSphere Quick Start Guide

  You have a system or a PCI with VMDirectPath?  Submit your specifications to Officieux VMDirectPath HCL.

• Create a new VMFS datastore

  Hi guys,.

  You have a few examples or a simple way on the creation of a new VMFS datastore using Orchestrator?

  Thank you.

  Hello

  check the "Create vmfs for all available disks" workflow in Library / vCenter / storage.

  It contains a logical example creating VMFS data warehouses, you should be able to adopt it for specific volumes.

  Also, check out ONYX and Onyx for WebClient Onyx for the Web Client to find the needed API calls when you create manually in the client.

  Kind regards

  Joerg

• ESXi 5.1 and VMFS-3 data warehouses

  We have an existing environment to ESX 3.5 Update 5 7 host and an EMC CX3-10 x iSCSI SAN. We go to decomission 2 ESX hosts and replace them with hardware ESXi 5.1 and recent guests. We realize that we no longer able to manage these hosts ESXi from our Virtual Center 2.5 console, but these two hosts will run a minimum number of virtual machines (Exchange 2010 multirole) that don't use VMotion, DRS and HA.

  Our understanding is that ESX5.1 can see and use VMFS-3 data warehouses. Is it true that, once we plugged the new 5.1 ESXi hosts to our SAN and you can see all the existing LUN that we should be able to stop the virtual machines on two ESX 3.5 hosts and start the virtual machines on the host ESX 5.1 computers?

  Everyone has problems running ESXi 5.1 with VMFS-3 data warehouses?

  Some data warehouses VMFS-3 existing could be improved to VMFS-5 because they are only used by the virtual machines that work on 5.1 ESXi hosts. But some of the data warehouses VMFS-3 existing is not extensible because they are used by the virtual machines running on ESX 3.5 other hosts. In other words, a single virtual machine can have virtual drives running on the VMFS-3 and VMFS-5 warehouses of data at the same time?

  Thank you

  Jay

  VMFS version isn't a problem. What I am more concerned by the fact that your storage system is not supported by ESXi 5.1.

  André

• Maximum VMs per VMFS datastore

  Can someone explain to me why the general rule concerning the number of clones linked by VMFS datastore is supposed to be 90, safer at 60? (39:00 in the video)

  My VMFS data store can handle more IO wise and wise, so why would I limit this number of storage? Numbers wise, I can run 120 VM out of a 2 400 GB data store.

  Here are estimates based on the data accumulated on the ground.  If you can get a larger number, it's fine.  These figures will be based on the IOPS / s, its use for the end user, locking, back-end storage, etc.  Basically the storage i/o profile of the entire group of the Active Desktop disk activity goes beyond what the back-end data store is able to provide.  If there is no offset in a desktop experience virtual because the affirmation of storage, revealed by tests or the use of your actual deployment, the number of clones linked by the data store can be merit to be studied.  For starters, these figures are given for the initial orientation.

• Upgrade to ESXi 4.1U1 to 5.0 - lots of questions

  Hello

  I have a standalone ESXi system 4.1U1 (Build 433742) (free license) which works really well.

  Material: DEL PE2900 server with RAID DELL PERC5i controller and two RAID 1 arrays defined.

  Discs: 4x256GB = > 2 x RAID1 with two drives = > 2 logical drives each 256 GB

  -Two tables contain an ESX/ESXi installation

  - First RAID arrray has an ESX 3.5 installation that is old and I no longer use it since ages (starting from the second matrix Raid in BIOS)

  - Second RAID array has an installation of ESX 4.1U1 (Build 433742) . The one I use.

  The two Raid arrays contain an about 250 GB VMFS datastore

  Now, I want to move my box to ESXi (free) 5.0 using the CD-ROM. According to several of the videos from Youtube, it's as easy as making coffee.

  But I had some problems during the upgrade that brought me to cancel and ask first of all you guys. I am very familiar with ESXi/vSphere, but I

  I just want to ask some friends admin of course :-)

  1. problem: drivers incompatible:

  I started the upgrade and was confronted with an error message regarding the 3rd third-party drivers that will be removed and could adversely affect system

  stability if deleted wrongly.

  The drivers are:

  OEM-VMware-ESX-Drives-net-vxge

  OEM-VMware-ESX-Drives-SCSI-3W-9xxx

  Some googling showed that "vxge" seems to be a network of 10GB Netirion card and '3w-9xxx' is a 3Way SCSI card. None of them belongs to

  my hardware configuration, so I guess I can safely ignore this and say installation force.

  Is this correct so far?

  2 problem

  Setup identifies my two matrices RAID (logical disks) and asks me to choose an update. They have exactly the same same name :-(

  Based on (F1) Details shows me the first disc containing my old installation of ESX 3.5 and the VMFS data store and the second of my current installation of the 4.1U1 and the other data store. So far so good. I would choose the second disc that contains updated 4.1U1 and press ENTER. <>.

  Now comes the big question:

  All the videos and guides for upgrade on the internet show a screenshot that list possible upgrade scenarios:

  [x] upgrade ESXi, preserve the VMFS datastore

  But my box shows (and I found a video on youtube) the following as first option:

  [x] force migrate ESXi, preserve the VMFS datastore

  What is the difference and can I safely go the update? Just to remember, I chose the drive containing the installation of 4.1U1 not the

  container ESX 3.5.

  Who would have something to do with the old installation of ESX 3.5 m on the RAID array other even though I chose the disk containing the curretn 4.1U1 install?

  I really appreciate it someone could help me

  Kind regards

  Oliver

  The installation program does not level you VMFS 5 3 VMFS datastore.  You will need to separately after the upgrade completed.

  The message you see is related to your first questions about different package names.  Given that the installer does not know how update this package, it is just to tell you that he's going to migrate everything on and you may be missing some features.

• Cannot resize VMFS DataStore in ESXi 5.1

  All,

  I use a network SAN OpenFiler as a VMWare Datastore.  The current size of the data store was 1 TB and I decided to increase the size of the LUN via OpenFiler to 2 TB.  However, this increase in the logic unit number size is not reflected in the VMWare Datastore and I cannot increase (extend) the size of the existing data store.  I seem to be affected by the same problem as described here:

  VMWARE: Cannot expand / increase Datastore VMFS on ESX

  Any ideas on how to increase the size of the data store in ESXi?

  Thank you.

  Then, it might be a problem of presentation. try not represented this LUN from the storage host and re group - present.

  Ensure that the data store is dismounted and detached from everything first.

  Thank you
  Avinash

• Could not introduce additional new 1 TB in the VMFS datastore to the ESXi Server?

  Hi all

  Does anyone know what should I do to make my 1 TB of hard drive using my eSATA connector housing on the HP DL 360 G7 Server?

  I installed the card eSATA PCI Express successfully on the server as is apparent from the screenshot of console vSphere below:

  

  but for some unknown reason, I do not see the hard drive 1 TB after multiple Rescan, still in white or nothing to present to ESXi.

  Here's what can see the BIOS of HP Server:

  

  When I move the eSATA connection to my Toshiba laptop, it went well, I can transfer the data and format the drive in the enclosure eSATA.

  Hello

  Unfortunately your controller (Host Controllers, SiI3124 SiI3114, SiI3132, SiI3531) is not supported.

  VMware KB: Obsolete and unsupported features in ESXi 5.5

  VMware Compatibility Guide: search for i/o device

  Some people, the community was able to make this work with 5.1GA output (ESXi 5.1.0 GA, 2012-09-10, 799733):

  https://communities.VMware.com/thread/399476

  Therefore, it seems that the only way is to return to the 5.1GA version...

  You can also see this post:

  Before VMware experience: how to do your job does not support SATA AHCI Controller with ESXi 5.5

  Kind regards

  P.